In recent years, there has been the trend toward increasing the functions of so-called car navigation devices in which a map, for example, is displayed on an output screen of a monitor device mounted in a vehicle, such that the current position of the vehicle or the like can be confirmed.
On the other hand, basically, an operation button or an operation switch or the like for each function which the car navigation device has is provided at controllers for operating car navigation devices up until now. By operating the operation button or the operation switch corresponding to a desired function, that function is executed.
However, it has become difficult to provide, at a controller, an operation button or an operation switch for each function due to the increase in the functions of car navigation devices as described above, i.e., the large increase in the types of functions.
Further, even if an operation button or an operation switch were provided for each function at one controller, the operation buttons or the operation switches would be extremely small, and the problem that the operability thereof would be poor would arise.
On the other hand, with regard to so-called car audio devices as well which carry out playback of music data or the like recorded on compact discs and carry out receiving and the like of radio broadcasts or television broadcasts, the same problems as with car navigation devices arise due to the increase in the functions of car audio devices in the same way as with the above-described car navigation devices.
In consideration of the above-described circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a screen operating device for a vehicle which has good operability.